Limitations of Medicare While Traveling

You are booking a trip to get away from it all for a while – why worry if your Medicare or supplemental plans will cover you when you are abroad? Skip all the stress of medical coverage mysteries and give yourself extra coverage by picking the best travel insurance plan for you!

Along with many other benefits, comprehensive plans are available with either secondary or primary medical coverage. When choosing the right plan for you and your traveling companions, you’ll want to consider the level of effort you’ll want to put into the claims process.

A Two-Step Process

Medicare is considered your primary health insurance, so a travel insurance plan with secondary coverage may have extra steps to see a conclusion. Generally, the company will require you to file a claim with Medicare first. Once you are denied that claim, you can file a claim with them. Medicare will send a “refusal to reimburse” letter that will be crucial in your claims process with the travel insurance company.

One and Done

It may be more convenient to pick a plan with primary medical coverage rather than secondary. This allows you to file one claim and receive one conclusion. It’s often simpler for travelers to only file one claim, rather than two. Don’t assume that because you have a primary health coverage here in the States that you are limited to only secondary medical coverage on your travel insurance. You can use primary coverage, and it may be better for your circumstance.